1. Field of Invention
Embodiments of the present invention pertain to wireless communication, and in particular, to discovering out-of-network apparatuses.
2. Background
Wireless communication has evolved from being a means for verbal information to being more focused on total digital interactivity. Enhancements in wireless technology have substantially improved communication abilities, quality of service (QoS), speed, etc., which has contributed to an insatiable desire for new device functionality. As a result, portable wireless apparatuses are no longer just tasked with making telephone calls. They have become integral, and in some cases essential, tools for managing the professional and/or personal life of users.
In order to support the desired expansion of electronic communication, more and more applications that did not incorporate any communication functionality are being redesigned to support wired and/or wireless communication. Such wireless communication support may, in some instances, include the ability to send monitored or observed data to other apparatuses via wireless communication. Example usage scenarios may include natural resource monitoring, biometric sensors, systems for supporting financial transactions, personal communication and/or location devices, etc. Apparatuses such activities and subsequent communications often operate using limited resources. For example, these apparatuses may be simple (e.g., may have limited processing resources), may be small (e.g., may have space constraints due to size limitations imposed in retrofit applications), may have power constraints (e.g., battery powered), etc.
Link establishment and maintenance processes defined in existing communication protocols may not be appropriate for apparatuses operating with resource constraints such as set forth above. For example, standards for existing wireless communication protocols may require periodic interaction in order to keep apparatuses participating in the network synchronized with other apparatuses. These requirements may not take into consideration the burden that periodic network communication places upon resource-constrained devices. As a result, it may become difficult to operate such resource-constrained apparatuses in accordance with these standards.